


An Unexpected Pet

by lionspride



Series: Unexpected [1]
Category: VIXX
Genre: Alternate Universe - Cats, Anthropomorphic, Kitty!Leo, M/M, Misunderstandings, Oral Sex
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-07-28
Updated: 2016-07-28
Packaged: 2018-07-27 07:23:06
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 9,554
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7609051
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lionspride/pseuds/lionspride
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>“You shouldn’t have gotten involved.”<br/>“Look Hongbin, I couldn’t leave him on the road to die. He’s practically a kitten!”<br/>“He could have fleas!”<br/>Wonshik sighed. “He doesn’t have fleas.”<br/>“He—Wonshik. Is this flea-magnet in your apartment alone right now?”</p>
<p>Wonshik picks up a stray off the street. Hongbin doesn't approve. Wonshik doesn't care. And Taekwoon, after he gets used to  the human who took him in, cares even less.</p>
            </blockquote>





	An Unexpected Pet

Wonshik muttered a curse to himself as he stepped out of another puddle. Good thing he was nearly home so he could rid himself of his mushy shoes and crawl into his cozy bed. In fact, he looked up and could see his apartment complex just at the end of the road.

Next time he’d take a taxi after a night of drinking with the others from the office. The weather forecast had conveniently left out the fact that pouring rain would assault the town that night.

A faint mewl drew Wonshik from his reverie on the unreliability of weather forecasters.

He squinted through the downpour to see a large, sopping wet cardboard box across the road. Perhaps some jerk had abandoned a cat. What a night for that.

Shoving down a warning about strays in his head that sounded more like his best friend’s voice than his own, Wonshik crossed the street.

He carefully lifted a sodden flap to reveal a pitch black, shivering mess. Wonshik hastily flung the other flaps back, exposing the rest of a huge trembling kitten.

The cat turned to look up at the intruder and hissed so violently that the box shook. Wonshik startled slightly, but his slightly drunk brain recovered from the surprise quickly, and pity welled up inside his chest. At second glance, the kitten actually looked more the age of a full-grown cat.

The cat’s relentless hissing was cut short by a tiny, and ever so adorable, sneeze.

“How cute!”

The cat’s eyes fixed him with an intense glare. A shiver ran down Wonshik’s spine, being looked at like that, and a most likely very stupid idea began to take form in his drunk brain.

“Look…I know you probably don’t trust anyone right now, but you’ll probably die if you stay out here.”

The cat blinked.

“My place is just up the street, if you could manage to stand up. I don’t think I could carry you without some help.”

“…”

Great. The cat didn’t understand him. Wonshik sighed internally and hesitantly reached into the box. The cat followed the movement with piercing eyes.

Suddenly the cat jumped to his feet in defense. Wonshik yanked his arm back with a sharp intake of breath.

“I’m trying to  _ help _ ,” he said admonishingly, and, to be honest, a little plaintively. 

The cat glared defiantly and then swayed unsteadily. Wonshik caught the poor creature just as he began to topple over.

Wonshik swore when he felt the heat radiating from the giant cat’s skin. Yeah, cats were supposed to be warmer than humans, but not  _ that _ hot.

“Let’s just get you to my place, okay?” Wonshik waited for a response, less because he was going to allow disagreement and more because he wouldn’t be able to move the cat if he remained a dead weight against his body.

The cat offered no verbal reply but started shuffling along, still leaning heavily against Wonshik’s side. Wonshik put his arm around the cat—carefully, to avoid startling him—and began to walk slowly down the street to his apartment.

~~~

“You shouldn’t have gotten involved.”

“Look Hongbin, I couldn’t leave him on the road to die. He’s practically a kitten!”

Wonshik blushed into his coffee cup, remembering last night. The cat’s body was not  _ exactly _ that of a kitten. Wonshik had seen him more closely as he dried the shivering beast in the fluorescent lighting of his apartment.

He decided to keep that information to himself though because he knew it would only make Hongbin protest louder, and he was already at a volume past the decibel level Wonshik considered appropriate for morning. Especially a morning after Wonshik had been drinking. Also, they were in public. Wonshik didn’t want to get kicked out of the coffee shop.

“—could have fleas!”

Wonshik sighed. “He doesn’t have fleas.”

“He—Wonshik. Is this flea-magnet in your apartment  _ alone _ right now?”

Wonshik shrugged and took another sip of coffee, as if acting normal would convince his best friend to drop the subject. (It was an ultimately futile effort; Hongbin never dropped a subject until  _ he _ was finished talking about it.) “It’s fine. I left a note, and he’ll be asleep for a while. The fever medicine will keep him out for a good couple hours.”

Hongbin opened his mouth as if to argue more, but then blinked and leveled Wonshik with a flat stare. “Wonshik. Tell me you didn’t give a  _ cat _ human medicine.”

“…He needed it?”

“Do you know how  _ dangerous _ that could be? You could have really hurt him!” Hongbin had a cat of his own, and undoubtedly knew more about this than Wonshik did. Wonshik felt a prickle of unease.

“…Maybe I’d better go check on him.”

Wonshik scuttled out of the coffee shop before his friend decided he should come along. He didn’t think the cat would be ready to see  _ him _ , much less another complete stranger.

~~~

Wonshik wasn’t too worried about the cat on his way home. He didn’t know him, after all.

Hongbin’s comment might have bothered him a tiny bit. But he didn’t speed on the residential streets.

The elevator may have taken forever to reach the ground floor. But he didn’t press the call button repeatedly, wondering what happened when a cat took human medicine.

He didn’t drop his keys as he fumbled to open the door either.

After not doing any of those things, he treaded lightly into the living room. Wonshik let out a breath he didn’t realize he was holding when he saw the black cat was right where he left him earlier that morning, wrapped up in a huge pile of blankets on the sofa.

The pile of blankets shifted and moaned. An arm slipped out and nearly hit the floor.

Wonshik stepped into the kitchen to pour a glass of water and moved up next to the sofa.

“Hey there kitty. Are you awake?”

He half expected the lump to attack, but it just shifted slowly to a seated position.

The cat blinked once. Twice.

The poor thing was completely out of it, eyes glazed over and cheeks flushed bright pink. In the bright light of midmorning he looked young and vulnerable. Maybe it was just that he wasn’t glaring at Wonshik anymore.

Wonshik held out the glass of water in offering. The cat looked down at it.

“You should have some water. Are you feeling any better?”

The cat’s gaze floated up to Wonshik’s face and back to the glass. He wordlessly took it, hand brushing against Wonshik’s and sending a shiver up his arm.

The cat brought the glass to his pink lips and emptied it without pausing for breath. He didn’t seem to notice the drop of water that escaped from the side of his mouth, although Wonshik’s eyes followed the droplet’s track down the cat’s neck before snapping himself out of it.

Wonshik took the glass back from the cat before it could fall to the floor. It seemed the human medicine had just made him a bit loopy. He probably would be fine in a little bit, and his fever seemed to have dissipated. His cheeks had been so flushed the night before Wonshik had worried he might start steaming from the ears.

“Do you have a name?”

Nothing.

“Do you have a home?”

Wonshik was beginning to wonder if this cat could understand him at all. Perhaps his previous owner had made him wary of people.

The groggy cat couldn’t have been a stray, for all his current scraggly appearance. With a bit of proper grooming his coat would be a sleek velvety black, and with his graceful lines and perfect proportions, he was probably a purebred.

What was a cat like that doing in a box on the side of the road?

A pained moan pulled Wonshik from his thoughts.

“You poor kitty. Just rest a bit more, and I’ll make some breakfast. I hope you don’t mind eggs.”

The cat responded with a giant yawn and blinked languidly.

“We’ll have to think of a name for you,” Wonshik said absently as he headed for the kitchen.

Ten minutes later Wonshik slid his best dish, fried eggs, onto a plate. Maybe the yolks were all broken, but they would be edible.

He turned to bring the kitty his food—and jumped. The hulking cat had snuck into the kitchen without a sound. His nose scrunched up to sniff the air, and he licked his lips in anticipation. It seemed the cat was hungry enough that he'd appreciate even Wonshik's cooking.

"Sit down there," Wonshik said, pointing to the kitchen table and getting control of his racing heart.

The cat reluctantly turned from the plate in Wonshik's hands and did as he was told. He obviously understood the order, so maybe he could talk too.

The eggs disappeared as soon as the plate touched the table. Wonshik laughed at the way the cat's cheeks puffed out to accommodate his breakfast.

"I was thinking of calling you Leo like an elegant king of the jungle, but...maybe you need a cuter name than that."

The cat's eyes darkened. He probably would have hissed again if he wasn't still chewing. The contrast between his glare and his puffy little cheeks just made Wonshik laugh again.

“You’re so cute.”

The cat rose abruptly to leave, teetering a bit from the lingering effects of the medicine.

“No, no, wait,” Wonshik said hurriedly. “Sit down. I’d like to talk…Please?”

Wonshik’s soft “please” made the cat pause, and he reluctantly dropped back into the chair.

“Hongbin—my idiot friend—says I should put you back where I found you.”

The feline’s hair fell over his face as he lowered his gaze to the table.

“I don’t want to do that, but if you don’t communicate with me, I can’t help you.”

The cat sunk further behind the protection of his hair.

“If you don’t at least give me a name, then I’ll just call you Leo.”

“..woon…”

If Wonshik hadn’t grown up with a shy younger sister, he probably wouldn’t have even realized the cat had spoken.

“What was that?”

“…Taekwoon.”

“Taekwoon?”

Nod.

“Is that your name?”

Nod.

Wonshik nodded thoughtfully, and then said tentatively, “I see you don’t have a collar.”

Taekwoon’s hand rose to his neck, pressing against the memory of a collar. Wonshik tore his gaze from the movement and swallowed.

“I need more than your name to help you get back home. Who is your family?”

Wonshik sensed more than saw Taekwoon’s expression darken another shade.

“Can you at least tell me how you got there last night?”

Taekwoon’s sharp feline teeth bit down on his bottom lip, but his eyes remained downcast.

“I just want to help you get back home.”

“...back.”

“What?”

Ears flattened, Taekwoon raised his head and met Wonshik’s eyes with a determined expression. He looked like tears might spill over any moment now.

“I’m not going back!”

After seeing the cat hissing so vehemently the night before, Wonshik shouldn’t have been surprised at the volume the cat was capable of.

“I won’t go back there. You can’t make me. I can leave, but I won’t go back there.” He stood to go and nearly knocked his vacated chair over with an irritated swish of his tail.

“Taekwoon.”

The cat froze. Even his tail paused its violent swinging.

“Taekwoon, I won’t make you go.”

He didn’t turn around.

“I mean…Ugh, Hongbin’s right, I always say the wrong thing. Taekwoon, I want you to stay. I know it’s messy in here, and it’s probably not what you’re used to. It couldn’t be. The news company I work at doesn’t pay that much, but it’s enough for one person. And a cat! I could afford to keep you. I’d have to make some lifestyle changes, but it could be fun—”

Wonshik had gotten so caught up in his rambling that he didn’t notice Taekwoon approach him. All of a sudden the tall cat was standing right in front of him, and he caught his breath as he looked up into the cat’s smiling eyes. There was no smile on his mouth, in fact his pretty face was remarkably blank, but somehow Wonshik knew there was a smile there.

Taekwoon bent down to Wonshik’s ear. His breath tickled, a soft gust against the sensitive skin there.

“Okay,  _ master _ .” He stood back up straight with the tiniest of smirks on his mouth.

Wonshik blushed to the roots of his hair.

“My name is Wonshik,” he squeaked out, as if  _ that _ was the main issue here.

Taekwoon responded with a huge yawn. Those pretty lips opened wider than Wonshik had imagined—not that he’d been imagining Taekwoon’s mouth! Or his lips! Oblivious to Wonshik’s sudden panic, the cat padded to the living room, where he crawled back on the sofa.

Taekwoon might have called Wonshik “master”, but standing dazed in the kitchen, Wonshik wondered who was really in control.

~~~

The days passed and the two of them settled into a sort of routine. Wonshik would go to work and come back in the evenings. Taekwoon would sleep on the sofa. Or under the light from the window. Or on the kitchen floor in front of the refrigerator.

Wonshik unfortunately discovered the last sleeping place when he went to get a drink of water in the middle of the night and stepped on the cat’s tail. He would have felt sorry for Taekwoon if he hadn’t instantly retaliated by scratching Wonshik’s leg. After that, they both agreed Taekwoon shouldn’t sleep on the kitchen floor again.

Wonshik worried at first that the cat would get bored while he was away at work, but when he came home Taekwoon was always napping or listening to music. He had given the cat permission to use his computer while he was out, and he had to brush off a twinge of worry over how many songs Taekwoon had purchased. He seemed to be listening to something different every day.

So when he arrived home that day, a bit more tired than usual after a paper jam fiasco at work, Wonshik expected to find the cat sleeping. Instead, he heard the water in the shower running.

He wasn’t surprised. Wonshik wasn’t one for lengthy showers, but his new kitty seemed to like cleanliness. After he had washed up and settled in, the feline really did look like a purebred that could win best-in-show. He was going to have to get Taekwoon clothes that fit properly soon, rather than letting him just wander about in Wonshik’s clothes. Not that he didn’t paint a pretty picture with the oversized garments draping over his lithe figure…

The shower turned off and Wonshik plopped down on the couch to relax in front of the mind-numbing TV for a couple hours. Movement from the bathroom door distracted him before he could pick up the remote.

The feline had walked out of the bathroom stark naked and was toweling his hair. His lean muscles shifted underneath taut skin, and Wonshik forced himself to stop staring. Unfortunately, that didn’t stop the blood from rushing downward.

“Don’t wander around naked! Put on some clothes!”

“Oh? You’re home.” Taekwoon made no move towards Wonshik’s bedroom and clean clothes.

Wonshik was surprised there was blood left to flush his face red. “ _ Clothes _ , Taekwoon.”

“Are you bothered by my body?”

Wonshik heard the teasing tone and looked up defiantly. He was  _ glad _ that the cat had now wrapped the towel around his hips.  _ Not _ disappointed. The water from Taekwoon’s hair dripping down his torso distracted Wonshik from answering whatever question he had been asked.

Taekwoon slunk over and half-crawled onto the coffee table in front of Wonshik, so he was practically in the man’s lap. He licked his lips.

Then he leaned in and licked Wonshik’s face just to the left of his mouth.

“Wha—?” Wonshik gave a panicked shove, and Taekwoon fell to the floor.

“You ate without me.” Taekwoon reverted back to the perfect image of a hurt kitten before Wonshik’s eyes. His lush mouth turned down in a pout, and his ears drooped a little.

“You’re so  _ cute _ ,” Wonshik blurted out, and instantly Taekwoon became huffy. Wonshik decided against telling the cat that the glare he was giving made his pouty expression even cuter.

“I told you you could eat anything I have here. Did you want to order something in?”

“…Pasta.”

“What? You want pasta?”

“I said that I made us pasta.”

“You made…? For me?”

The cat nodded once and stood up to leave the room. “I’ll just go eat some and put away the extra.”

Wonshik grabbed the retreating figure from behind in a crushing hug and ruffled the cat’s still damp hair. “Thanks, Taekwoonie~”

The cat shoved Wonshik away so he fell back on the sofa. Wonshik stopped the indignant ‘hey!’ that nearly tumbled from his mouth when he noticed Taekwoon’s flushed cheeks. The cat glanced over and somehow blushed harder when his eyes caught Wonshik’s, stalking away into the kitchen and carefully moving the dishes and cutlery around.

“Cute,” Wonshik whispered to himself. “So cute.”

~~~

Work ended early that Friday evening, and Wonshik found himself staring in the window of a pet shop at the array of collars for sale. He used to not mind working late, even on Fridays, but his kitty had made a habit of making dinner for the two of them, which made Wonshik eager to leave the office. If he had known cats were such good cooks, he would have got one sooner.

From his position on the sidewalk he examined each collar, finding some flaw or other with one after the next. Taekwoon had become a part of Wonshik’s life; he deserved a perfect collar to make him feel wanted. The cat had settled into his life so perfectly that Wonshik found it impossible to imagine his apartment without Taekwoon in it, even after such a short time. He hoped that a collar might make Taekwoon feel like he belonged. Like he could stay with Wonshik.

A deep red collar in a fancy display case caught his eye. He imagined the splash of red against the pale skin of Taekwoon’s throat and how it would perfectly offset his velvet black hair. Before his mind fully returned to reality, Wonshik opened the door to the shop and asked the owner about the collar.

He probably should have asked about the price before buying it, but Wonshik swiped his credit card to pay for the accessory with only a small internal twinge. He wasn’t one for expensive gifts, but a collar was special. And he wanted it to be perfect.

~~~

Wonshik opened his apartment to the scent of marinara sauce and the calming sound of R&B music. He made his way to the kitchen to see what was for dinner, tiredly loosening his tie, and stopped in his tracks at the vision before him.

Taekwoon looked up at the sound of intrusion and stared into Wonshik’s eyes, continuing to thoroughly lick his fingers. He had a flowery pink apron on and his tail was wrapped around a spoon, stirring a pot of sauce. Who knew cats’ tails were so dexterous?

Wonshik cleared his throat.

“I’m home,” he said, kicking himself internally for such an obvious statement.

With a final lick of his thumb, Taekwoon turned back to stir the pot and add a pinch of basil.

“Is that pasta?”

“Ros é pasta,” Taekwoon confirmed. He sniffed the air and frowned. “You reek of perfume,” the cat complained with disgust.

“That’s probably the weather forecaster’s. I’ll go jump in the shower.”

Taekwoon just looked offended and turned back to his dinner preparations.

 

Dinner passed by without incident. The pasta was delicious, and the two of them said very little. Wonshik still did much of the talking, but they could sit in silence without awkwardness now.

“That was delicious!” Wonshik said appreciatively.

“I’ll try to do better,” Taekwoon avoided the compliment, ducking his head.

“But it was perfect like that,” Wonshik reassured earnestly. The food had been delicious, and he wanted Taekwoon to know that he appreciated it. He was getting spoiled by the cat’s excellent cooking skills.

Taekwoon looked down at the table, flustered. His tail thumped against his chair.

“You’re cute,” Wonshik smiled at the cat’s inability to take a compliment.

That earned him a glare that was not nearly as punishing as Taekwoon probably intended.

Taekwoon’s tail thumped against his chair again. Following the movement with his eyes, Wonshik noticed the way the cat’s tail caught on the waist of the sweatpants he was borrowing. It must have been uncomfortable.

“I guess we should get you some proper cat clothing soon. I can’t have you messing up all my clothes.”

“I’m sorry.”

“No! I didn’t mean that you should be sorry! It’s my fault for not getting it done. In fact, I can ask Hongbin about it tomorrow. I mentioned that he has a cat too, right? I don’t think you should meet him though. He’s a bit of a bully. He’s really pretty, but all the other cats know to be scared of him, even though he acts innocent around humans.”

Taekwoon blinked at Wonshik, trying to keep up and figure out where he was going with his speech.

Wonshik realized he had been rambling again and continued lamely, “Anyway, sorry I didn’t get you any clothes yet. But I got you something else.” 

Taekwoon absently bit his lip, waiting for Wonshik to continue. Tearing his gaze away from the cat’s distracting mouth, Wonshik reached into his bag and pulled out a black satin box tied with a silver ribbon. He thought the ribbon had been going too far, but the shop owner had insisted his cat would love it.

Wonshik doubted his decision to give Taekwoon the collar now, wondering if maybe he picked the wrong time. Maybe he should have waited. Or maybe he should open the box himself to put it on Taekwoon. Was he supposed to get on one knee? It wasn’t a proposal or something. He shooed his nervous and increasingly ridiculous thoughts aside and, with a deep breath, handed the box to Taekwoon.

The cat looked curiously between the box and Wonshik. His gaze focused on the ribbon, and his tail quieted to a stop, curling around his left arm. Pulling one end of the bow ever so carefully, as if afraid the box could shatter, Taekwoon placed the ribbon delicately on the table and lifted the lid of the box.

He immediately shut the lid with a guarded expression, swallowing visibly. On the edge of his seat, waiting impatiently for his reaction, Wonshik wondered if the cat had even seen the contents of the box before he closed it.

Taekwoon stood abruptly and swept the silver ribbon up in his empty hand. “Thank you,” he muttered, barely louder than a whisper.

He sounded angry. Wonshik’s forehead wrinkled, confused. Why would the present make him angry? Did he not like it? Was it the wrong color? Did he give it to him the wrong way after all? Maybe he didn’t want a collar from Wonshik.

Before Wonshik could ask what was wrong, Taekwoon retreated to the other room.

Wonshik shot to his feet and followed to confront the cat, but the door to his bedroom was already swinging shut, and a soft ‘click’ seemed to echo through the room as the lock turned.

Did Taekwoon just lock himself in  _ Wonshik _ ’s bedroom?

“Hey! That’s my room! You sleep on the sofa!” Wonshik felt a bit guilty for always making Taekwoon sleep on the sofa, but the cat seemed to be able to sleep anywhere. He had slept on the kitchen floor, for goodness’ sake!

And what was wrong with his gift? Why had Taekwoon rejected it so thoroughly? Did he hate it? He must with such a reaction. Wonshik hated to admit it, even to himself, but he probably should have asked Hongbin first. Now Taekwoon was going to want to leave. Wonshik needed to talk to him, convince him he should stay.

But all of his knocks and calls through the door were met with silence, and Wonshik resigned himself to a night on the sofa. At least the next day was Saturday, so if he couldn’t sleep well at least his work wouldn’t suffer.

~~~

Wonshik woke up with a crick in his neck from sleeping on the sofa. Groaning, he sat up and rubbed his neck, wondering how Taekwoon managed, but he supposed cats were more flexible.

He looked at the time on his phone and opened a new message from Hongbin. He was asking when he could meet Taekwoon. Again.

The message reminded Wonshik that he wanted to get some cat clothes from Hongbin for Taekwoon, so he sent a message saying he would come over. Maybe having new clothes would help Taekwoon forgive him for whatever mistake Wonshik had made when he’d given him the collar last night.

After checking that his bedroom door was indeed still locked, Wonshik had a quick bowl of cereal and grabbed his keys.

“I’ll be back later, Taekwoon! Don’t destroy anything while I’m gone!”

Silence echoed back at him, and with a sigh, he left for his friend’s apartment.

 

When Wonshik reached Hongbin’s apartment, he banged on the door and called out, “Hongbin, open up!”

Wonshik wasn’t normally one for being patient with his friend, and he wasn’t in the best of moods with Taekwoon acting strange. Wonshik had thought the cat would be happy with the present. Cats were supposed to like collars and the bond they represented. Maybe it wasn’t the collar that Taekwoon didn’t care for, but Wonshik. What a sobering thought.

The door opened inward, but it wasn’t Hongbin who greeted him. His cat, Sanghyuk, stood there in a robe wiping the sleep from his eyes.

“Hi, Wonshik. Come in.” Sanghyuk opened the door wider and smiled.

Wonshik wondered for a moment at his own lack of reaction to the scantily clad cat before him. He thought, with how his body reacted to Taekwoon, that maybe…but no. It was just Sanghyuk. Little Sanghyuk who had barely grown out of kittenhood.

“Thanks, Sanghyuk. Hongbin is here, right?”

“In the living room,” Sanghyuk confirmed, pointing his chin to the room that Wonshik was already headed for.

Hongbin was sitting on the couch, and he turned around as Wonshik approached to give him a stupid grin that showed off his even stupider dimples.

“Why are you looking at me like that?” Wonshik wasn’t in the mood for Hongbin to be an ass, but judging by his expression Hongbin was planning on being annoying.

“It’s been so  _ hard _ to see you these days now that you’ve got a pussycat of your own. I guess he keeps you busy in your apartment with just the two of you.” Hongbin wiggled his eyebrows suggestively.

“Shut up, Hongbin.” Wonshik tried not to give Hongbin the satisfaction of reacting to his teasing.

Hongbin laughed. “Is that any way to talk to someone you want a favor from?” He singsonged.

Wonshik rolled his eyes and flopped next to Hongbin, rubbing his sore neck.

“Oh? Does your neck hurt? Did you get a little too rough with your pretty kitty last night?”

Wonshik scowled, reminded of last night. “Hongbin, I swear…”

“Okay, okay. Calm down.” Hongbin dropped his teasing expression and took a close look at his friend. “Something’s wrong.”

“We’ll get to that in a minute. But first, does Sanghyuk have any clothes he’s grown out of?”

Hongbin looked over at his oversized cat, who was eating a large sandwich at the kitchen table.

“Yeah, as a matter of fact. I was just boxing up some stuff that no longer fits the giant after his growth spurt.” Hongbin squinted at his friend. “Wonshik, are you telling me that it’s been over two weeks and the poor cat has been stuck wearing  _ your _ clothes?”

Wonshik gave him a sheepish look.

“Or maybe clothes would have gotten in the way of your many  _ activities _ ,” Hongbin ignored Wonshik’s sputtering, “and he’s been going around naked as a newborn kitten!”

Wonshik picked up a maroon throw pillow and attempted to smother his idiot friend. He dropped the pillow after Hongbin landed a particularly sharp kick on his shin.

“Ow!”

“Serves you right,” Hongbin said smugly. “You can have the clothes when you leave. They’re already in a box that I was planning to donate this next week.”

“Thanks.” And he meant it. Wonshik stood to go, but Hongbin pulled him back down to the sofa and gave him a serious look.

“Now you’re going to tell me what’s wrong.” Hongbin looked Wonshik in the eye with genuine concern.

Emotions warred in Wonshik as he tried to decide how much he wanted to tell his friend.

“Well…I gave him a collar,” he confessed.

“Good!” Hongbin’s expression lit up, before darkening as his brow furrowed with confusion. “Wait, why is that a problem?”

“I don’t know why it’s a problem!” Wonshik puffed out with frustration, “I gave it to him, and he got all angry and took over my room!”

“He took over your room? Go back to the beginning and tell me what happened.”

Wonshik told him most of the story, from buying the collar at the pet shop to Taekwoon locking himself in his room.

“Hmm…” Sanghyuk broke into their conversation with a thoughtful noise. Wonshik and Hongbin looked up at the cat, who had wandered over as the story unfolded. Sanghyuk asked Wonshik, “What did you say when you gave him the collar?”

“I…” Wonshik tried to remember. “I don’t think I said anything in particular. Why?”

“Humans,” Sanghyuk scoffed with disgust. He shook his head and stalked off.

“Thanks for the insight!” Wonshik called after him. “Brat,” he added to himself.

“Maybe Sanghyuk has a point,” Hongbin offered.

“Not you too,” Wonshik let out a sigh of frustration, “Will you at least tell me what I supposedly did wrong?”

“Nope!” Hongbin flashed a grin at him, “The clothes are in that box by the door. I hope they fit that pretty kitty of yours. If they don’t he could always go without—”

Wonshik threw a pillow at him and stood to leave. “See you, Hongbin,” Wonshik said a bit sharper than intended. He continued more softly, “And thanks for the clothes.”

“Yeah. And Wonshik.” Hongbin’s serious voice made Wonshik look back. “Try not to get hurt this time.”

Wonshik met his friend’s sincerity with a nod. Then he picked up the box of clothes and headed home.

~~~

Wonshik unlocked his front door carefully, hoping to catch Taekwoon out in the apartment. He was just in time to see a black tail disappear into his bedroom. The door clicked closed. Wonshik dropped the box he was holding in the hallway and rushed over.

“I’m coming in,” he called softly, as a warning. When he tried the knob, the door surprisingly swung open beneath his hand, and Wonshik cautiously poked his head around the doorjam. Taekwoon was fiddling with something on his neck. Wonshik thought he saw something red come away in the cat’s hand.

“Taekwoon,” Wonshik called cautiously, not wanting to startle the feline. Taekwoon spun around with one hand conspicuously behind his back. Wonshik blinked, a little bubble of hope rising in his chest. “What do you have in your hand, Taekwoon?”

“Nothing,” the cat rushed out, a hint of panic in his voice. He waved both empty hands in the air. Wonshik cocked his head, unconvinced by this display, and noticed the cat’s tail was bent at an awkward angle.

“Your tail then,” Wonshik said pointedly.

Taekwoon shook his head. Wonshik took a step forward, but stopped his approach when the cat backed against the opposite wall with a frightened look on his face.

“ _ Please _ show me?” Wonshik asked, starting to feel concerned. Why was Taekwoon acting this way?

The ‘please’ convinced Taekwoon to lift his tail slowly so Wonshik could see what it held. The kitty covered his face with his hands as the red collar Wonshik had gifted him was revealed.

Wonshik’s breath shuddered out of him. “Why don’t you wear the collar on your neck, Taekwoon?”

Taekwoon shook his head without answering.

Wonshik pressed on, “Do you not like it?”

Taekwoon silently shook his head again.

Wonshik let out a small sigh of frustration. “Could you talk to me, Taekwoon? I don’t know what you mean when you just shake your head.”

Taekwoon shook his head again in answer and lowered the collar gripped by his tail into the open box on the bedside.

Letting his exasperation seep into his words, Wonshik said, “Fine. Whatever. I brought some clothes from my friend. They’re used, but they’re yours now, and you don’t have to wear my clothes anymore.”

Taekwoon nodded silently, and then pulled off the old t-shirt he was wearing without warning. Wonshik’s wide eyes took in the slender form before him and he let out a soft “oh”.

The cat must have heard the sound, because he fixed his sharp eyes on Wonshik. The man’s breath caught in his throat, and he blushed at being caught staring.

Wonshik turned to flee, but Taekwoon was right behind him before he could escape. The cat’s solid tail wrapped around his arm and tugged slightly. He reluctantly pivoted about, keeping his eyes trained on Taekwoon’s face, not that his efforts to avoid looking at the perfect body in front of him helped much. Taekwoon licked his perfect little lips, giving Wonshik all sorts of ideas about what he might do with those lips, or that tongue.

“Wonshik.” 

Hearing his name fall from those lips in the cat’s breathy voice brought him back to the moment. A thousand thoughts rushed his overloaded brain at once, leaving him with no clear single thought to concentrate on. So Wonshik focused on the mouth in front of him instead.

“I can smell you,” Taekwoon murmured tantalizingly.

Wonshik met the cat’s intense gaze in surprise.

“You what?” Wonshik asked with a hint of alarm, half guessing the meaning of Taekwoon’s words.

“I smell you,” Taekwoon leaned forward, tail releasing Wonshik’s arm to brush against the front of his pants where he was getting harder by the moment, “here.”

Wonshik nearly groaned at the sudden contact and quickly decided that he should leave before he did something Taekwoon wasn’t ready for. “Taekwoon, I should—”

Taekwoon looked up at Wonshik from behind his dark lashes and said softly, “Wonshik…” he bit his lip before continuing, “Can I touch you?”

Before Wonshik could form a coherent reply, Taekwoon sunk down to his knees. The way his tongue slipped out of his mouth to wet his lips sent a jolt of excitement straight to Wonshik’s already hardening cock.

“You don’t have to do this, Taekwoon,” Wonshik said quickly, desperately. He couldn’t think of anything worse than Taekwoon thinking this was  _ required _ .

“I want to,” Taekwoon practically purred. He held Wonshik’s gaze as he undid the button on Wonshik’s pants, unzipping the jeans and carefully pulling them and the boxers to the floor.

Wonshik leaned back against the now closed bedroom door, transfixed by Taekwoon’s eyes and the way he kept abusing his lower lip until it flushed red. His cock throbbed in anticipation, and Wonshik’s head thudded against the door as Taekwoon’s long fingers wrapped around the base and stroked the length until he was fully hard.

Taekwoon dragged his thumb teasingly through the precome that leaked from the tip of Wonshik’s cock, making Wonshik’s hips buck forward involuntarily at the touch. The cat licked his thumb off thoroughly before continuing, and Wonshik let out a breathy “Fuck,” at the lewd image it made.

The cat’s attention turned back to the cock in front of him, licking the underside from base to tip and spreading his lips over the head. He swirled his tongue teasingly over the tip and pulled away.

Taekwoon looked up, mouth wet with saliva and precome. Wonshik needed that mouth back on his aching cock. He reached down and guided Taekwoon’s head back onto him. The pink lips stretched wide as Taekwoon took Wonshik fully into his mouth, and Wonshik barely kept his head from slamming back into the door again. “Ah, god, Taekwoon…”

Taekwoon set a fast pace as he sucked Wonshik’s cock with his hot mouth. The cat’s slightly rough tongue slid up and down Wonshik’s shaft, and he lost himself in the feeling. Taekwoon’s tail wrapped around the base of his cock and moved in time with his mouth, adding a completely new sensation Wonshik had never felt before. His hands loosely held their place on Wonshik’s hips as they jerked forward, seeking more friction.

Taekwoon hollowed his cheeks as he let Wonshik in even deeper, moving his tail out of the way and pushing his mouth closer yet to the base of the throbbing cock. He let out a whine, the sound vibrating up Wonshik’s shaft, his cheeks flushed bright red and his eyes a little bit wet. As Wonshik watched, one of his hands moved from Wonshik’s hip to the front of Taekwoon’s own pants, pressing against the bulge there.

Wonshik nearly lost all self-control at the sight of Taekwoon falling apart below him. He grabbed Taekwoon’s hair gently and held him steady as he began to fuck into his mouth. Tears sprung to Taekwoon’s eyes when Wonshik’s cock hit his gag reflex, but the cat moaned, sending vibrations up his cock. Fuck, Wonshik was close. He let go of Taekwoon’s hair.

“Taekwoon, I’m coming,” Wonshik gritted out between groans.

He tried to pull out of Taekwoon’s mouth, but Taekwoon held the man’s hips firmly and hollowed his cheeks one last time. With a shout, Wonshik shuddered and came hard, hot come pulsing out of his cock filling Taekwoon’s mouth. Finally, when he was totally spent, he pulled back, and this time the cat let him. Come dribbled out of Taekwoon’s mouth tantalizingly before he swiped his tongue out in an attempt to lick up the mess. The cat was a wreck: eyes teary, lips and cheeks flushed, and Wonshik’s come dripping down his chin. 

Wonshik sighed with satisfaction, still propping himself against the door as he came down from his orgasm. “Where did you learn to  _ do _ that?”

Wonshik knew that it was the wrong thing to ask when a dark cloud settled over Taekwoon’s face. Licking his lips one last time, the cat ignored Wonshik and got up off the floor. Pushing Wonshik aside, he opened the door and padded over to the box by the entranceway, lifting the lid off to peer at the clothes inside.

“I’m sorry,” Wonshik muttered, after quickly tucking himself back into his pants and following Taekwoon into the living room.

Taekwoon kept rifling through the box.

Wonshik hadn’t meant to mention the life Taekwoon knew before he met him; he knew the cat got defensive anytime it was mentioned. Taekwoon’s mouth had felt so good on him, though, that he hadn’t thought about his words before letting them out. Again.

“I’ll go take a shower,” Wonshik said quietly to the cat’s back. “Take your time with the clothes. They’re yours now.”

As Wonshik walked to the bathroom, he wondered if the clothes were the only thing that were Taekwoon’s now. He pretended to not know the answer to that question.

~~~

Wonshik woke for the fourth day in a row panting and covered in sweat. The dreams all had slight variations, but the main cause for the strain in his boxers was the same: Taekwoon.

Taekwoon falling apart at the seams panting and begging Wonshik for more, chanting his name as he looked up with burning eyes. Taekwoon on top of him screaming louder than Wonshik thought he could. Taekwoon beneath him pulling Wonshik down, deeper, not letting his eyes look away. Taekwoon.

Wonshik tried to blink the images from his eyes, but yet again he fell into temptation and jerked off imagining Taekwoon’s delicate hands on him, stroking, rubbing, until he found his release murmuring Taekwoon’s name. He lay still in his bed for a moment, catching his breath, before he checked that Taekwoon was still asleep on the sofa and shuffled to the bathroom to take a quick shower.

Under the spray of water, Wonshik considered his predicament.

Taekwoon had seemed more than willing when he was sucking Wonshik’s cock, his mouth greedily taking everything in, but afterward the two had become uncomfortable around each other. Or rather, Taekwoon was avoiding him.

Wonshik had even tried asking about it. Of course Taekwoon denied it, but the cat was always “sleeping” when he got home. Plus, they didn’t eat together any more. He wouldn’t look Wonshik in the eye.

And he still wasn’t wearing his collar.

Wonshik shut the water off, wishing he could turn off his thoughts as easily, and got ready to leave for work.

~~~

After a few more days of uncomfortableness hanging over the apartment, Wonshik decided he would give in to Hongbin’s pestering and let him meet Taekwoon. Try as he might, Wonshik couldn’t communicate with a cat that avoided him, and even if he could get Taekwoon’s attention… at this point, he wasn’t sure he knew what to say.

He sent Hongbin a message and moved to the kitchen, where Taekwoon sat making a bowl of cereal disappear.

Wonshik cleared his throat and spoke hesitantly, “Hey, so, um… You know my friend Hongbin that I’ve mentioned?”

Taekwoon blinked. Wonshik took that as a sign he should continue.

“I thought it might be fun to meet him.”

Blink.

“He has a cat too,” he added in a casual tone.

Taekwoon looked down into his nearly empty bowl to reply, “Okay.”

Wonshik breathed an internal sigh of relief and let the words fall from his mouth more quickly, “We’re planning to meet today at a nearby park. It’s got some nice paths to wander, and vendors sometimes sell snacks there on the weekend.” Wonshik knew he could sell the idea to Taekwoon better if food was involved.

“Outside?” Taekwoon looked up with wide eyes.

“Well, yeah,” Wonshik continued carefully, “I mean, it’s a park.”

“…want to go,” Taekwoon muttered, glancing at the window.

“What was that?” Wonshik leaned closer to hear the cat’s soft reply.

“I don’t want to go.” Taekwoon’s voice was quiet, but his resolve was clear. Wonshik wondered what he had let slip about Hongbin that would make the cat so opposed to meeting him.

“I won’t _ make _ you go. I know I complain about Hongbin, but he’s really not that bad. Plus it would be nice to make a kitty friend, right?”

Taekwoon’s eyes shifted around the room as if looking for an escape, “I have dinner planned…” he hedged, “Maybe they can come here?”

“Oh…yeah. They could.”

Taekwoon nodded as if that settled it and got up to put his bowl in the sink.

Ignoring the feeling in his gut that there was something besides dinner plans bothering Taekwoon, Wonshik called Hongbin to tell him to come over.

~~~

Sanghyuk, excited to see Wonshik’s new cat, pushed past Hongbin when they reached their friend’s apartment.

“Hi Wonshik!” Sanghyuk said brightly, attacking Wonshik with a bear hug just to bother him. Peeking over the human’s shoulder, he caught sight of a cat glaring at him from the kitchen. That must be Taekwoon. Sanghyuk shivered under the intense glare and let Wonshik go.

“Hey Sanghyuk,” Wonshik said, extracting himself from Sanghyuk’s arms and greeted his grinning friend, “Hongbin.”

Sanghyuk heard Hongbin whisper something that sounded like “yummy” as his owner brushed past Wonshik to plop on the sofa. He doubted Hongbin was referring to the smell of dinner wafting from the kitchen.

He followed Hongbin to the sofa, sat on his lap, put his arms around his neck, and looked over to where Taekwoon stood in the kitchen. Taekwoon’s eyes widened a little before he quickly focused his attention back on the pot he was stirring.

Good.

Then Hongbin shoved him onto the floor.

“Get off me, you huge beast,” Hongbin complained.

Hyuk smiled, holding back a remark about how Hongbin had very much wanted this “huge beast” on him the night before.

“Dinner’s almost ready—” Wonshik started to say.

“It’s ready,” a soft voice interrupted. Taekwoon tapped the spoon he was holding against the rim of the pot and then set it aside, carefully carrying the pot to the table. “It’s just curry.”

“Sounds great!” Sanghyuk said, bouncing into the kitchen, eager to try the food Wonshik had raved about.

The four of them packed around the kitchen table and ate comfortably. Wonshik and Hongbin did most of the chit-chat and Sanghyuk stole glances at Taekwoon, noticing the other cat also trying to observe the newcomers without drawing attention to himself.

Taekwoon peeked at them curiously between bites, stuffing his cheeks with food. Sanghyuk thought he looked more like a hamster than a cat at the moment. Maybe Taekwoon wasn’t as scary as he first thought.

When dinner came to an end, Sanghyuk jumped up and grabbed Taekwoon’s arm. The cat looked up at Sanghyuk with surprise, which he ignored.

“Taekwoon and I are going to have a little  _ chat  _ in your room~” Sanghyuk informed the room cheerily.

Sanghyuk would have laughed at the identical looks of horror on both Wonshik and Taekwoon’s faces if he didn’t have other mischief to take care of. Using his size to his advantage, he pulled the other cat into Wonshik’s bedroom before Taekwoon could come to his senses and resist him.

Sanghyuk pushed Taekwoon gently into the room and turned the lock on the bedroom door behind him. Despite the lightness of his shove, Taekwoon landed on the bed with a thump.

“What are you doing, you little brat?” Taekwoon hissed up at him defensively.

“Calm down, kitty,” Sanghyuk said calmly, trying not to roll his eyes. “I’m not going to eat you.”

Sanghyuk noticed the other relax just a fraction, but Taekwoon didn’t let down his guard completely and just blinked silently up at Sanghyuk.

“You really don’t say much, do you?” Sanghyuk sighed. “I thought Wonshik was exaggerating, but it’s a wonder he knows anything about you.”

Taekwoon bristled at that but said nothing.

“Don’t you have a collar?” Sanghyuk asked innocently. “Why don’t you wear it?”

“I…have one,” Taekwoon admitted softly, eyes looking off toward the corner of the room. He was fiddling with his hands nervously. Sanghyuk noted that he had avoided the second question and plopped down on the bed next to the older cat.

“Can I see it?” Sanghyuk asked coyly. He was practically purring, rubbing up against the other cat’s side. The way Taekwoon tensed told Sanghyuk that he was not immune to his cute side, so he tried again.

“Pleeeaaase?” Sanghyuk dragged the word out, nearly whining. In his effort to convince Taekwoon to spill his secrets, Sanghyuk had ended up half on top of him. Taekwoon shifted out from under him, turning his face away.

“You’re too big,” Taekwoon complained.

Sanghyuk chuckled at Taekwoon’s mumbled comment and watched as he moved toward a large pile of laundry in the corner. Wonshik really ought to clean up more; the place was pretty messy.

Taekwoon slipped his arms underneath the clothes and carefully withdrew a beautiful black box. Sanghyuk allowed him to take his time as he almost reverently carried the box back to the bed.

Well, Taekwoon obviously didn’t hate the thing.

Sanghyuk let out a low whistle when Taekwoon opened the lid to reveal a luxurious red collar within.

“That looks expensive,” Sanghyuk commented, impressed and more than a little surprised at how much Wonshik had obviously spent. He must like Taekwoon more than any of them had realized.

Taekwoon’s expression darkened, and he murmured almost to himself, “I know.” He sank onto the bed next to Sanghyuk and stared at the red collar.

“Do you not want an expensive collar?” Sanghyuk was confused. If Hongbin bought him a collar like this, well, he would make sure Hongbin knew how much he appreciated it, all night long probably.

Taekwoon shook his head. “That’s…not it,” he frowned.

Taekwoon’s troubled expression was so endearing, Sanghyuk could see why Wonshik liked him.  He bit his tongue while Taekwoon worked out what he wanted to say.

“I won’t be able to keep it,” Taekwoon finally said, not really explaining anything.

Sanghyuk squinted at the mysterious cat and decided on a new approach. Taekwoon didn’t seem the type to believe advice from a strange younger cat. But he also appeared to be naive in some ways for his age, so Sanghyuk did what he did best: he brewed up a mischievous plan.

Sanghyuk put his arm around the smaller cat’s shoulders. “I have an idea.” A ray of hope lit Taekwoon’s face at Sanghyuk’s cheery tone, and he continued, “Why don’t you try the collar on?”

Taekwoon hesitated for a moment. “…I did,” he admitted with a slight blush.

Oh. So he  _ had _ worn it before. Interesting.

“Come on,” Sanghyuk said persuasively, “Let me see. Such a pretty collar shouldn’t stay cooped up in a box like that.”

Taekwoon’s long fingers stroked the accessory, but he didn’t lift it up. Sanghyuk reached over and unceremoniously pulled it out.

“Let me help,” he chirped.

Sanghyuk latched the collar around Taekwoon’s neck while Taekwoon stared at him with a helpless expression. He examined the effect appreciatively and nodded. Wonshik had good taste.

“Well, I think that Hongbin and I had better get going!” Sanghyuk stood up. “I don’t want to be around when Wonshik sees you like that.” Sanghyuk shuddered, thinking of the chaos that would take place in the apartment later. He had definitely confirmed the feelings of both parties involved. The shy idiots just needed a push in the right—or wrong—direction.

Taekwoon blinked.

Sanghyuk snatched the box out of Taekwoon’s lap and waved it in front of his face. “I’ll keep this for you,” he explained, “I don’t think you’ll be needing it.” Sanghyuk grinned, proud of his brilliant plan. He cut Taekwoon off before he could protest. “Taekwoon, one last thing: that collar is yours now,” he continued in a kinder tone, “No one is going to take it from you.”

Sanghyuk winked and flounced out of the bedroom to collect his human and go home.

~~~

Wonshik watched Sanghyuk bound out of the bedroom, grab Hongbin’s arm, and push open the front door with Hongbin in tow. His friend grinned an insincere apology, showing off his stupid dimples, and closed the door behind them. Wonshik shook his head, resigning himself to the fact that he was never going to fully understand Hongbin and Sanghyuk.

His bedroom door stood ajar. Taekwoon hadn’t emerged yet; maybe Wonshik shouldn’t intrude. Sanghyuk had said the two cats were only going to talk, but who knew with that frisky kitten? Of course, Sanghyuk was no barbarian; he wouldn’t do anything to Taekwoon that he didn’t want.

But what if he did want it? What if his Taekwoon had seen the other cat and wanted him? Begged Sanghyuk to sate his desires? Sanghyuk was very attractive…

Wonshik’s mind raced down a thousand strange paths, and before he knew it he found himself in the doorway of his bedroom looking at a fully-clothed Taekwoon, who looked up at him with an unreadable expression. Was the cat’s hair a bit tousled? He discarded the thought.

Wonshik tried to think of something brilliant to say. “They left.”

Taekwoon nodded in response.

Wonshik continued awkwardly, “I guess I’ll go wash the dishes then.” He should go before he said anything else stupid. Turning to leave, he almost didn’t hear Taekwoon call out in his soft voice.

“Wonshik,” the cat said.

Wonshik slowly turned around. Taekwoon rose from the bed and took a hesitant step toward him. And another. He was so beautiful, dark eyes and tousled hair and flushed cheeks.

Taekwoon breathed in deeply before saying, “Sanghyuk said—”

Wonshik couldn’t bear to hear another word about the other cat. He closed the space between them and crashed their lips together, silencing Taekwoon. Wonshik pressed in closer, dominating his mouth until a small moan fell from the cat’s lips. Wonshik’s tongue slipped past Taekwoon’s pointed teeth and tasted the other’s mouth. Taekwoon’s tongue met his and a strong tail wrapped around Wonshik’s waist, pulling their bodies impossibly closer.

Wonshik broke away and groaned when he felt Taekwoon’s half-hard erection press against his hip. The cat moved to his ear and nipped at it in punishment for breaking the kiss, and Wonshik carded his hand through the cat’s silky hair, pulling his mouth back to his. He bit Taekwoon’s lip in retaliation and sank into an even deeper kiss.

Takewoon’s hips ground against his, seeking friction. Wonshik’s hand slipped down Taekwoon’s neck to hold him more firmly as his mouth moved relentlessly, eliciting even more desperate sounds from the cat’s delicate lips.

Wonshik’s hand brushed against a latch and soft velvet on the cat’s neck, and he pulled back in surprise. Taekwoon was  _ wearing the collar _ . He opened his mouth to ask about it, but Taekwoon took that opportunity to bite at his lip, pulling his mouth back to his. The cat’s hips rutted against him in time with the movement of their tongues, and Wonshik instantly forgot what he had been going to say, pressing back against Taekwoon’s hard body. They moved against each other in a messy rhythm, seeking release.

Wonshik slipped a finger under the collar.

“Ah~” A soft moan escaped Taekwoon’s kiss-swollen lips, and he shuddered against Wonshik as he came, fingernails digging into Wonshik’s back. Taekwoon ground against him a few more times, shuddering, and Wonshik groaned as he came a moment later.

They kissed sloppily, slowly, until they stopped panting and came back to their senses.

Wonshik smiled, forehead pressed against Taekwoon’s. He leaned back so that he could look in the other’s eyes and smiled even wider, happiness bubbling up inside him. Taekwoon offered up a smile too, but his cheeks turned pink, and he started to duck his head as the realization of what he had just done sank in.

Wonshik leaned in to kiss him lightly. “Hey,” he said, placing his finger under Taekwoon’s chin to encourage him to look up.

Taekwoon’s eyes met his hesitantly. Wonshik leaned over and pecked Taekwoon’s still flushed lips again.

“You’re wearing the collar,” Wonshik stated, smile still lingering on his mouth.

Taekwoon bit back another smile and nodded, touching the velvet around his neck lightly with his fingertips.

Wonshik reached over and stroked his thumb over the collar, brushing against Taekwoon’s skin lightly in the process.

A soft “ah” escaped the cat’s lips, and he blushed violently. Wonshik withdrew his hand, realizing Taekwoon’s neck was rather sensitive. He filed away the information to test another time.

“So you like the collar?” Wonshik asked hopefully. “It’s okay?” 

Taekwoon shook his head in response.

Wonshik’s heart sank. He thought for sure the cat must like it. After all, he seemed to enjoy having it on his neck—why else would he be wearing it right now? But Wonshik wouldn’t force it on him. “Well…I can probably still take it back—” he offered.

Taekwoon shook his head harder.

Wonshik sighed in frustration. “Taek—”

“…you,” Taekwoon mumbled, cutting Wonshik off.

“What did you say?” Wonshik asked.

Taekwoon took a steadying breath, grabbing his tail to prevent it from flicking about nervously. Wonshik waited with a mask of patience he didn’t feel for Taekwoon to repeat himself.

“It’s from you,” the cat explained. “I don’t like the collar. I like  _ you _ .”

Wonshik blinked in surprise, startled at the sudden admission. “Taekwoon…I don’t know what to say.”

Taekwoon took a breath and continued, “You don’t have to like me back, just…don’t make me leave?” He finished quietly, wringing his tail between his hands.

Wonshik wrapped up the fragile cat in his arms and pressed his lips to one soft feline ear. It twitched when Wonshik’s warm breath tickled it.

“I’ll never make you go,” he whispered, and thought silently that he hoped the cat would never  _ want  _ to go. He released his hold so he could look Taekwoon in the eye. “Taekwoon, I’m not good at speeches. I only know that you’re a part of my life now. My favorite part. Don’t go. Please.”

Taekwoon’s eyebrows rose a fraction, and a tiny smile lifted his lips. “I like when you say ‘please’,” he admitted.

Wonshik blushed, his traitorous mind instantly producing images of Taekwoon desperately mewing “please” at him in a more… _ intimate _ setting. He shook his head to bring himself back to the moment. “I’ll try to say it more often,” he promised. Then he cleared his throat. “So…”

Taekwoon smiled and lightly pushed past Wonshik to exit the room. “I’m taking a shower,” he announced simply. The cat turned back with his hand on the doorframe, tail curling seductively, and looked Wonshik straight in the eye. “Don’t you need a shower too?”

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks so much to the lovely [sunshineinwriting](http://archiveofourown.org/users/sunshineinwriting) for helping me along with this and making it what it is! You are a beautiful beta and person~<3  
> Thank you for reading. I hope you all enjoyed kitty Leo as much as I did.
> 
> There is a continuation of this story [here](http://archiveofourown.org/works/8868226/chapters/20330938).


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